The 32 bass accordion is a small accordion that is perfect for children who want to learn to play the instrument. It’s also a good choice for adults who are just getting started on the accordion. It has 1 column of single bass notes (Roots, also called Bass buttons), 3 columns of chord buttons (Major, minor, and Dominant 7th), and 8 rows. Compared to the smaller model (the 24 bass layout), it has the same number of Roots (from E to Eb) and an extra column of chords (Dominant 7th chords). The 4 missing keys are (F#/Gb), B, (Ab/G#), (Db/C#). It has no counter basses nor diminished chords.
If you are totally new to the Stradella bass system, read this article.
32 Bass Accordion Layout
On the left, you can see a 32 bass layout, overlaid with a 120 bass layout. The chart on the right shows you which notes are played by each button.
All chords you can play on a 32 Bass Accordion
There are three columns of standard chords:
- 8 major chords
- 8 minor chords
- 8 dominant 7th chords
in the keys of E, A, D, G, C, F, Bb, and Eb, however, combining chords and roots you can get:
- 2 Dominant 7th flat 5th chords,
- 4 Major 7th chords,
- 5 minor 7th chords,
- 5 Half-diminished chords,
- 5 Major 6th chords,
- 6 Dominant 9th/11th chords,
- 7 Dominant 9th chords,
- 7 Major 7th/9th chords,
- 7 minor(Major 9th) chords, and
- 7 minor 9th chords.
How to read the lists of chords
Here are some guidelines to help you read the following lists of chords and charts:
- Flats and sharps are paired with their enharmonic equivalent chord, for example, C#Maj7 = DbMaj7
- Chords that can be played are clickable and are colored in blue, for example, DMaj
- Missing chords are colored in gray and are crossed out by a horizontal line, for example,
Bdim7. - Duplicated chords are colored in light blue, for example, E#m7 = Fm7
- Some chords can be played in two different ways: by combining a chord with a bass note or by combining a chord with a counter-bass button. For this reason, you’ll find two lists for the same group of chords, one for those that can be played combining a counter bass with a chord (“On Counter Bass” list) and one for those chords that can be played combining a bass note (“On Root” list).
- The charts of those extended chords that can be built combining a chord with a counter bass or with a bass note, show both positions: counter basses are circled in blue, and basses are circled in green.
You can play the root on the bass row or on the counter bass.
Standard chords
8 Major chords
Major chords are built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), and a perfect fifth (5th).
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Major chords:
F#Maj = GbMajBMaj- EMaj
- AMaj
- DMaj
- GMaj
- CMaj
- FMaj
- BbMaj = A#Maj
- EbMaj = D#Maj
AbMaj = G#MajDbMaj = C#Maj
8 Minor chords
Minor chords are built with a Root (R), a minor third (m3rd), and a perfect fifth (5th).
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these minor chords:
8 Dominant 7th (5th omitted) chords
Dominant 7th chords are Major chords with a minor 7th added.
Dominant 7th chords are built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), a perfect fifth (5th) and a minor seventh (m7th).
The 7th chord buttons on the Stradella bass system play just the root, the 3rd, and the 7th. The 5th is omitted.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Dominant 7th chords:
Combined Chords
2 Dominant 7th flat 5th chords
The Dominant 7th flat 5th chord (7b5) is a Dominant 7th chord with a flat 5th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), a diminished fifth (d5th), and a minor seventh (m7th).
On the accordion, you can play a 7b5 chord by combining a Root with the Dominant 7th chord built on its flat 5th interval, for example, C + Gb7 = C7b5. C is the Root and Gb is the flat 5th of C.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Dominant 7th flat 5th chords:
F#7b5 = Gb7b5B7b5- E7b5
- A7b5
D7b5G7b5C7b5F7b5Bb7b5 = A#7b5Eb7b5 = D#7b5Ab7b5 = G#7b5Db7b5 = C#7b5
4 Major 7th chords
The Major 7th chord is a Major chord with a major 7th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), and a major seventh (7th).
On the accordion, you can play a Major 7th chord by combining a Root with the minor chord built on its 3rd interval, for example, C + Em = CMaj7.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Major 7th chords:
F#Maj7 = GbMaj7BMaj7EMaj7AMaj7DMaj7GMaj7- CMaj7
- FMaj7
- BbMaj7 = A#Maj7
- EbMaj7 = D#Maj7
AbMaj7 = G#Maj7DbMaj7 = C#Maj7
5 minor 7th chords
A minor 7th chord is a minor chord with a minor 7th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a minor third (m3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), and a minor seventh (m7th).
On the Stradella bass system, you can play a minor 7th chord by combining a Root with the Major chord built on its minor 3rd interval, for example, C + EbMaj = Cm7.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these minor 7th chords:
5 Half-diminished chords
The minor 7th flat 5th chord (half-diminished) is a minor chord with a flat 5th and a minor 7th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a minor third (m3rd), a diminished fifth (d5th), and a minor seventh (m7th).
On the accordion, you can play a Half-diminished chord by combining a Root with the minor chord built on its minor 3rd interval, for example, C + Ebm = Cm7b5.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these minor 7th flat 5th chords:
F#m7b5 = Gbm7b5Bm7b5- Em7b5
- Am7b5
- Dm7b5
- Gm7b5
- Cm7b5
Fm7b5Bbm7b5 = A#m7b5Ebm7b5 = D#m7b5Abm7b5 = G#m7b5Dbm7b5 = C#m7b5
5 Major 6th chords
The Major 6th chord is a Major chord with a major 6th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), and a major sixth (6th).
On the accordion, you can play a Major 6th chord by combining a Root with the minor chord built on its 6th interval, for example, C + Am = C6.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Major 6th chords:
6 Dominant 9th/11th chords
The Dominant 9th/11th chord is a dominant 7th chord with a major 9th (same as a 2nd) and an 11th (same as a 4th) added.
It is built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), a minor 7th ( m7th), a major ninth (9th), and an eleventh (11th).
On the accordion, you can play a Dominant 9th/11th chord by combining a Root and its major chord with the major chord built on its minor 7th interval, for example, C + CMaj + BbMaj = C9/11.
The 11th is dissonant in major and dominant chords because the 11th and the major 3rd are adjacent tones, for example, C9/11 = C, E, G, Bb, D, F.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Dominant 9th/11th chords:
F#9/11 = Gb9/11B9/11- E9/11
- A9/11
- D9/11
- G9/11
- C9/11
- F9/11
Bb9/11 = A#9/11Eb9/11 = D#9/11Ab9/11 = G#9/11Db9/11 = C#9/11
7 Dominant 9th chords
A Dominant 9th chord is a Dominant 7th chord with a Major 9th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), a minor seventh (m7th), and a major ninth (9th).
On the Stradella bass system, you can play a Dominant 9th chord by combining a Root and its major chord with the minor chord built on its 5th interval, for example, C + CMaj + Gm = C9.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Dominant 9th chords:
7 Major 7th/9th chords
The Major 7th/9th chord (Maj7/9) is a Major 7th chord with a major 9th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a major third (3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), a major seventh (7th), and a major ninth (9th).
On the accordion, you can play a Major 7th/9th chord by combining a Root and its Major chord with the Major chord built on the 5th interval from the Root, for example, C + CMaj + GMaj = CMaj7/9.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these Major 7th/9th chords:
F#Maj7/9 = GbMaj7/9BMaj7/9EMaj7/9- AMaj7/9
- DMaj7/9
- GMaj7/9
- CMaj7/9
- FMaj7/9
- BbMaj7/9 = A#Maj7/9
- EbMaj7/9 = D#Maj7/9
AbMaj7/9 = G#Maj7/9DbMaj7/9 = C#Maj7/9
7 minor(Major 9th) chords
The minor(Major 9th) chord is a minor 7th chord with a major 9th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a minor third (m3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), a minor seventh (m7th), and a major ninth (9th).
On the accordion, you can play a minor(Major 9th) chord by combining a Root and its minor chord with the Major chord built on its 5th interval, for example, C + Cmin + GMaj = Cm(Maj9)
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these minor(Maj9) chords:
F#m(Maj9) = Gbm(Maj9)Bm(Maj9)Em(Maj9)- Am(Maj9)
- Dm(Maj9)
- Gm(Maj9)
- Cm(Maj9)
- Fm(Maj9)
- Bbm(Maj9) = A#m(Maj9)
- Ebm(Maj9) = D#m(Maj9)
Abm(Maj9) = G#m(Maj9)Dbm(Maj9) = C#m(Maj9)
7 minor 9th chords
A minor 9th chord is a minor chord with a minor 7th and a major 9th added.
It is built with a Root (R), a minor third (m3rd), a perfect fifth (5th), a minor seventh (m7th), and a major ninth (9th).
On the Stradella bass system, you can play a minor 9th chord by combining a Root and its minor chord with the minor chord built on the 5th interval, for example, C + Cm + Gm = Cm9.
On a 32 bass accordion you can play these minor 9th chords:
